| ST.JOHNS, MICHIGAN - RAILROAD HISTORY |
| Foreword In the Detroit & Milwaukee's early days, St. Johns was the center for railroad operations as well as serving customers. Having engine facilities and a repair shop for the Central Division was no small thing. Early St. Johns was a terminus for passenger and mixed freight trains, east and west bound until motive power grew in size and ran better needing fewer facilities for repair and maintenance. In this early period there were only three railroads that ran east and west across the State and the D. & M. R.R. was one of these. Early History The Detroit and Pontiac railroad project was stirred up in Oakland county as early as 1830, and an act in - corporating the "Detroit and Pontiac Railway Company" was put through by territorial legislative council and was approved by Governor Cass on July 31st. This was the first railway in Michigan to have a charter. Immediately after the road was completed from Detroit to Pontiac, a project was developed to build a railroad from Pontiac westward through Shiawassee, Clinton and other counties to Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River. At this point there would be a connection with steamers for Milwaukee, Wis. and other Lake Michigan ports. On Feb.13,1855, an Act by the State Legislature authorized the partnership of the Detroit and Pontiac with the Oakland and Ottawa Railroad Company under the name, "Detroit and Milwaukee Railway Co." The road was completed to St.Johns in Clinton county on January 16,1857. The line was of great benefit to Clinton county, but it proved to be a bad investment for its original stockholders. It went into bankruptcy in 1860, and it remained thus until October 19,1878, when it reorganized and became the "Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railway. This line came under control of the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada on Nov.1,1878. On the date of Nov.20,1900 the D.,G.H. &M. with several other railroads was incorporated as |
| Grand Trunk Western Railway Co. In May,1928 the Grand Trunk Western Railway Co. was reincorporated as Grand Trunk Western Railroad Co. St. Johns First Depot In December, 1856, John Ranson the editor of the St. Johns Democrat said, "He was indeed in a City of the Woods," which in 1856 was without a railroad and was much younger and smaller than Dewitt which was then the county seat. There was an old road that ran north to Rochester Colony and it crossed the to be railroad track where Mead street is today. From there it went southwest and crossed where the courthouse is today and then angled sharply south to Dewitt. Where this road crossed the yet to be built railroad bed was the site of the first depot and freight house in St. Johns. John Ranson also wrote in December of 1856, "The enginehouse here is up and partly enclosed. It is calculated to accommodate four engines. Preparations are also being made for the erection of the Freight House, Passenger House, turntable, etc." He also wrote "The deep cut at this place is nearly down to grade. It will be finished by the time the track layers get here." The deep cut is where the Whittemore street overpass is now located. At this date there was a big swamp west of Oakland street and the dirt from the deep cut was used for fill in this swamp for the new road bed. For some years there was a pond most of the year on the south side of the track and all year on the north side. There was no clearing of land north of the railroad for a number of years.St. Johns was the western terminus of the road for awhile as the road wasn't completed to Ionia until September,1857. Hibbard's daily line of stages for Lansing and Ionia met the passenger trains at the St. Johns depot. There was an eating house adjoining the west side of the depot for awhile but this was later moved to Owosso. |
| The drawing on the left is from an 1868 panoramic view of St. Johns. On the right is the depot built in 1856 and on the left is the turntable and enginehouse. In June of 1867 there was a big addition put on the roundhouse in St. Johns. It was 40 by 45 feet in size and can also be seen in this view. This was called a repair shop. This repair shop was located in St. Johns due to being in the center of the Middle Division, which was between Gaines and Ionia. This also made the addition of four more emplyees. Over the years the swamp west of Oakland street was filled and ditched. In April of 1867 a new depot was rumored to be built at the foot of Clinton street. |
| Employees time table dated Nov.29, 1858. This time table shows the trains that terminated and originated at St. Johns. It is interesting to note that station Boston is now Saranac and that Dallas station is still located at its original site before being moved one mile west to become Fowler. Muir has not yet come to be as the railroad is using the name Lyons, which was an older settlement. Lyons Mill and Shepardsville are yet to be written into history. Some of the rules printed in this time table are: 2 -The clock in Superintendent's Office, Detroit, is the standard time, and Conductors will daily compare their watches with it, and furnish the correct time to others on the road. 9 -Freight, Wood and Gravel trains must not exceed 15 miles an hour, unless from unavoidable delay it shall be necessary to give a Passenger train the road, when the speed may be increased to 20 miles an hour. 18 -Pass all roads slowly, taking care not to frighten horses. In town, the speed of the engine must not exceed four miles per hour. 21 -The whistle blown once, means apply brakes; the whistle blown twice, means let go the brakes; three times, for switch. Enginemen must not back trains until signalled by Conductor, who shall see that track is quite clear. 24 -Great care should be taken to prevent the killing of cattle, sheep or hogs. Notice will be taken of the Engineman who kills the least number of cattle; and if any are killed, it shall be the duty of the Engineer to report the same to the Conductor, upon arriving at either end of the road, and by the Conductor reported to the Superintendent. |
| The passenger fare to some of the towns on the line from St. Johns in 1875 were: East Shepardsville....................$ .30 Ovid..................................$ .40 Owosso.............................$ .70 Detroit...............................$ 3.05 West Fowler..............................$ .40 Pewamo...........................$ .55 Muir..................................$ .70 Grand Rapids...................$ 2.85 |
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| This rumor came from Mr. Bell, the Superintendent of the road, while conversing with some citizens in the matter. But this rumor did not come about. |
